Seattle soda-tax collections top $16M in 9 months

SEATTLE – Seattle has collected nearly $17 million in the first nine months of its tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, exceeding what the city initially expected the tax would raise in its first year.

The Seattle Times reports before the so-called soda tax took effect Jan. 1, officials estimated it would raise about $15 million in 2018.

Though researchers have yet to complete analyses of consumption patterns, tax collections have increased throughout 2018.

Finance and Administration Services department spokeswoman Julie Moore says after collecting $4.8 million in first-quarter payments and $5.9 million in second-quarter payments, Seattle collected $6.2 million in third-quarter payments and a total of $16.9 million.

The Seattle measure puts a 1.75 cent-tax per fluid ounce on the distribution of sweetened beverages such as Pepsi, sports drinks, and other drinks with exceptions for diet sodas and milk-based drinks such as lattes.